Official MLBlog of Keith Olbermann

Jackie Robinson Night – Finale

The superb symmetry did not end with two homers by Robinson Cano – named, of course, for Jackie Robinson. The Yankees were forced to get the last out in a 6-2 win over the Angels from the last man grandfathered in to wear Robinson’s uniform number 42, Mariano Rivera.

Mentioned earlier: Rachel Robinson’s marvelously youthful presence as she nears her 88th birthday. We steal a “screen grab” to show you Rachel, right…

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Jackie and Rachel’s daughter Sharon, on the left, with Yankee manager Joe Girardi, and Rachel on the right.

GROWN MEN HAVE BEEN SEEN CRYING:

Less impressive photography – we continue to watch the slow-motion demolition of the old Yankee Stadium, with perspective provided by the Elevated train station at 161st Street:

What remains of the stands used to stretch from the plate to first base. The serrated quality of the concrete chunks in the foreground suggests they were either from the Upper Deck in left, or the bleachers in left-center. Just one more:

I guess this one speaks for itself. Foreground, of course, the stairs from the Downtown “4” train. Towards the back, towards the left, the large upright object is, of course, the giant “bat” (an exhaust pipe) that still stands in what was the plaza behind home plate. It sure looks like it’s been taped up like an old fungo bat.

THE MEDIA GUIDE, R.I.P.:

One last note about destruction. First it was The Sporting News, discontinuing in 2008 the annual Baseball Guide (publication of which they took over from Spalding in 1941) and the annual Baseball Register (which they rolled out in ’41). Now the New York Yankees have stopped distributing “sets” of MLB media guides to non-beat writers. An annual tradition of spring has been the lugging of the ever larger of 30 books to the car (or if you’re city-bound, via subway) and then home.

The beginning of the end: the Yankees are offering the guides… as a flash drive!

10 Comments

Wow… that has to be tough, seeing the old stadium come down. I know you have a lot of great memories there. It was hard for me to see the old Kingdome get torn down, even as musty and dusty a place as it was. You’re right about Rachel Robinson – I’d be thrilled to look that good at her age. Beautiful. I hope you enjoyed the game tonight. :) Loved the stat about the two home runs from Robinson Cano. Seems a fitting tribute. See you tomorrow!

Because I am such a baseball nerd myself, I am curious what the absence of the old stadium this season will do to balls carrying out of the park. There was much discussion last season about how balls were carrying out to right because of the wind tunnels or whatever.

Ahhhh, she is beautiful. We need more Rachel Robinsons in the world to show us what is possible, and to squelch once and for all our youth-worshiping culture’s insistence that doggedly chasing after our youth is what keeps us young and the act of aging is what makes us old. Far from it.
Ms. Robinson: You go, girl!
(Laughing) Keith, my offer to let you have my Walkman cheap still stands. I’ll even sweeten the deal by unlocking the vault and pulling out a few cassettes: Boston? Kansas? Journey? Genesis? Toto? Doobie Brothers? Foreigner? Cheap Trick? . . . (sorry, still laughing). :D

He and Keith are about the same age and JH got Keith to do it. Why not DP. Those two are beyond funny and you can easily tell that they are good friends also. Completely agree with your statement. buy Admission essay | dissertation writing

I would have wanted to see the Yankees play because of the historical aspect the Jackie Robinson brought overall no just sports/baseball. i think that pretty cool that the Yankees honor him with a full say on the actually day that he changed the sport forever. I do not blame Keith for one minute to wanting to be there. I would have tried to do the same thing if I had lived and worked in NYC. Corn Flour Mill

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